Trigger Point Therapy Treatments Bring Pain Relief to Physio Patients

Whilst trigger point therapy is not an end-all cure for chronic pain, it has been proven to bring a great deal of relief to people who wish to lessen the influence that pain has on their lives. A trigger point, or TrP, is a small patch of a tightly contracted muscle.

This small area chokes off the blood supply, which in turn, causes irritation and discomfort. This vicious cycle is known as a metabolic crisis. If you have a few TrPs, they can quickly become an annoyance. However, if you have several, then they become a syndrome. In this case, the syndrome is referred to as MPS, or myofascial pain syndrome.

Why Trigger Points Need to Be Treated

As a result, muscle pain is an important issue. What’s more, TrPs seem to be a prevailing factor in many medical complaints. For instance, TrPs are the key factor in the formation of migraines and other types of headaches. TrPs are also responsible for the development of pain in the neck and lower back. TrPs feature a triple threat because they cause pain issues, complicate these issues, and they also mimic other common ailments.

That is why Rockingham Physio experts have committed part of their practice toward pain amelioration through trigger point therapy. Unfortunately, trigger points can cause direct pain, as they develop within the muscle tissue. They also tend to develop unexpectedly. In many instances, TrP pain may even overshadow an original injury.

Referred Pain

In addition to minor pains or aches, TrP muscle pain frequently causes unique symptoms in unanticipated locations. For example, sciatica may be caused by a pain in the gluteal muscles, and not because of irritation in the sciatic nerve. In fact, many TrPs are mistaken for nerve issues.

Also, chronic jaw pain, earaches, and sinusitis may actually be symptoms of TrPs in the muscles around the head, neck, jaw, or face. Even suspected appendicitis pain may turn out to be caused by a TrP in the muscles of the abdomen. As a result, some TrPs are so severe that they are mistaken for serious medical emergencies.

The word “myofascial” is associated with the muscle and its fascia. The fascia is the connective tissue that is situated around the muscles. Therefore, any related pain comes from the muscles and its connective tissues. A TrP is the tight area inside the muscles that causes pain to occur in other body parts. Also known as “referred pain,” a TrP in the back may cause pain in the neck, or a pain in the neck can lead to pain in the head. The pain can be either dull or very intense.

How TrP Therapy is Used to Relieve Pain

In trigger point therapy, patients learn that muscle pain is caused by stress, tension, overused muscles, or minor injuries. The pain, which is normally localised, can affect one or more muscles or body parts. Therefore, trigger point therapy is designed to relieve the pain caused by the trigger points – otherwise referred to as knots or tight points in the muscle or fascia.

So, the idea behind trigger point therapy is to apply pressure to the TrP, so that it releases and softens, thereby reducing the discomfort. Your rate of progress depends on several conditions, including the type of injury, your overall physical health, and your amount of stress or anxiety.